Selectively Deployable Awning Assembly

ABSTRACT

A selectively deployable awning assembly for shielding an area proximate to a penetration in a structure includes a plurality of ribs and a panel. The ribs are mutually coupled so that each rib extends arcuately from an intersection and so that the plurality of ribs is substantially half-bowl shaped. The panel is coupled to and extends between the ribs of the plurality of ribs. Each of a plurality of connectors is configured to be coupled to an external element of a structure above the penetration, such as a door, so that the plurality of connectors extends arcuately across and above an upper limit of the penetration. The plurality of connectors is positioned to selectively couple to a pair of end ribs to couple the plurality of ribs to the structure. The panel thus is configured to shield an area under the panel from the elements, such as rain, snow, and sunlight.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to awning assemblies and more particularly pertains to a new awning assembly for shielding an area proximate to a penetration in a structure.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to awning assemblies.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a plurality of ribs and a panel. The ribs are mutually coupled so that each rib extends arcuately from an intersection and so that the plurality of ribs is substantially half-bowl shaped. The panel is coupled to and extends between the ribs of the plurality of ribs. Each of a plurality of connectors is configured to be coupled to an external element of a structure above a penetration in the structure, such as a door or a window, so that the plurality of connectors extends arcuately across and above an upper limit of the penetration. The plurality of connectors is positioned to selectively couple to a pair of end ribs to couple the plurality of ribs to the structure. The panel thus is configured to shield an area under the panel from the elements, such as rain, snow, and sunlight.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an in-use view of a selectively deployable awning assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a back view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new awning assembly embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the selectively deployable awning assembly 10 generally comprises a plurality of ribs 12 and a panel 14. The ribs 12 are mutually coupled so that each rib 12 extends arcuately from an intersection 16 and so that the plurality of ribs 12 is substantially half-bowl shaped. The panel 14 is coupled to and extends between the ribs 12 of the plurality of ribs 12. The panel 14 is flexible and substantially water impermeable.

The plurality of ribs 12 comprises from three to seven ribs 12. The plurality of ribs 12 may comprise five ribs 12. Each rib 12 comprises a plurality of nested sections 18 so that the rib 12 is selectively extensible. The plurality of nested sections 18 may comprise an outer section 20 that extends from the intersection 16 and an inner section 22 that is selectively extensible from the outer section 20, as shown in FIG. 3. The ribs 12 may comprise at least one of metal and plastic, or other semiflexible material, such as, but not limited to, wood, bamboo, fiberglass, and the like.

The intersection 16 comprises an upper end 24 of a post 26. Each rib 12 is hingedly coupled to the post 26 so that the plurality of ribs 12 is selectively positionable in an extended configuration and a stowed configuration, as shown in FIG. 4. In the extended configuration, the plurality of ribs 12 is substantially half-bowl shaped. In the stowed configuration, each rib 12 is in substantial abutment with the post 26.

A ring 28 that is positioned around the post 26 is selectively slidable relative to the post 26, as shown in FIG. 5. Each of a plurality of rods 30 is pivotally coupled to and extends between the ring 28 and a respective rib 12 so that the plurality of rods 30 is positioned to support the plurality of ribs 12 in the extended configuration. A stopper 32 is selectively couplable to a lower end 34 of the post 26 so that the stopper 32 is positioned to retain the plurality of ribs 12 in the extended configuration. The stopper 32 is removable so that the ring 28 can be slid over the lower end 34 of the post 26 to position the plurality of ribs 12 in the stowed configuration.

Each of a plurality of connectors 36 is configured to be coupled to an external element of a structure above a penetration in the structure, such as a door, as shown in FIG. 1, or a window (not shown). The plurality of connectors 36 extends arcuately across and above an upper limit of the penetration. The plurality of connectors 36 is positioned to selectively couple to a pair of end ribs 38, as shown in FIG. 2, to couple the plurality of ribs 12 to the structure. The panel 14 thus is configured to shield an area under the panel 14 from the elements, such as rain, snow, and sunlight.

The plurality of connectors 36 comprises from two to five connectors 36. The plurality of connectors 36 may comprise three connectors 36. Each connector 36 may comprise a clip 40, or other fastening means, such as, but not limited to, hooks, hook and loop fasteners, clamps, and the like. The clip 40 may be adhesively couplable to the external element of the structure, or couplable to the external element by other means, such as, but not limited to, screws, bolts, nails, and the like.

The panel 14 may have a theme selected from an essentially unlimited number of themes. For example, seasonal themes for winter, spring, summer, and fall, holiday themes for secular and religious holidays, and event themes for birthdays, anniversaries, sporting events, and the like. A selected panel 14 and an associate plurality of ribs 12 are readily couplable to the external element of the structure via the plurality of connectors 36, thus allowing a user to easily change from a device 10 of one theme to a device 10 of another theme.

A circlet 42 is coupled to the upper end 24 of the post 26 so that the circlet 42 is positioned to be selectively coupled to an associated clip 40 to couple the plurality of ribs 12 to the structure. The circlet 42 may be rotationally coupled to the post 26. The panel 14 thus is configured to shield the area under the panel 14 from the elements.

In use, the clips 40 are adhesively coupled to the element of the structure above an entrance door of the structure. The plurality of ribs 12 is positioned in the deployed configuration and attached to the clips 40 so that the panel 14 is configured to shield the area under the panel 14 from the elements.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the elements is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

I claim:
 1. A selectively deployable awning assembly comprising: a plurality of ribs, the ribs being mutually coupled such that each rib extends arcuately from an intersection and such that the plurality of ribs is substantially half-bowl shaped; a panel coupled to and extending between the ribs of the plurality of ribs; and a plurality of connectors, each connector being configured for coupling to an external element of a structure above a penetration in the structure such that the plurality of connectors extends arcuately across and above an upper limit of the penetration such that the plurality of connectors is positioned for selectively coupling to a pair of end ribs for coupling the plurality of ribs to the structure wherein the panel is configured for shielding an area under the panel from the elements.
 2. The assembly of claim 1, further including the plurality of ribs comprising from three to seven ribs.
 3. The assembly of claim 2, further including the plurality of ribs comprising five ribs.
 4. The assembly of claim 1, further including each rib comprising a plurality of nested sections such that the rib is selectively extensible.
 5. The assembly of claim 4, further including the plurality of nested sections comprising an outer section extending from the intersection and an inner section selectively extensible from the outer section.
 6. The assembly of claim 1, further including the ribs comprising at least one of metal and plastic.
 7. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising: the panel being flexible; and the intersection comprising an upper end of a post, each rib being hingedly coupled to the post such that the plurality of ribs is selectively positionable in an extended configuration wherein the plurality of ribs is substantially half-bowl shaped and a stowed configuration wherein each rib is in substantial abutment with the post.
 8. The assembly of claim 1, further including the panel being substantially water impermeable.
 9. The assembly of claim 7, further comprising: a ring positioned around the post, the ring being selectively slidable relative to the post; a plurality of rods, each rod being pivotally coupled to and extending between the ring and a respective rib such that the plurality of rods is positioned for supporting the plurality of ribs in the extended configuration; and a stopper selectively couplable to a lower end of the post such that the stopper is positioned for retaining the plurality of ribs in the extended configuration and such that the stopper is removable for sliding the ring over the lower end of the post for positioning the plurality of ribs in the stowed configuration.
 10. The assembly of claim 1, further including the plurality of connectors comprising from two to five connectors.
 11. The assembly of claim 10, further including the plurality of connectors comprising three connectors.
 12. The assembly of claim 1, further including each connector comprising a clip.
 13. The assembly of claim 12, further including the clip being adhesively couplable to the external element of the structure.
 14. The assembly of claim 4, further including a circlet coupled to the upper end of the post such that the circlet is positioned for selectively coupling to an associated clip for coupling the plurality of ribs to the structure wherein the panel is configured for shielding the area under the panel from the elements.
 15. The assembly of claim 14, further including the circlet being rotationally coupled to the post.
 16. A selectively deployable awning assembly comprising: a plurality of ribs, the ribs being mutually coupled such that each rib extends arcuately from an intersection and such that the plurality of ribs is substantially half-bowl shaped, the plurality of ribs comprising from three to seven ribs, the plurality of ribs comprising five ribs, each rib comprising a plurality of nested sections such that the rib is selectively extensible, the plurality of nested sections comprising an outer section extending from the intersection and an inner section selectively extensible from the outer section, the ribs comprising at least one of metal and plastic, the intersection comprising an upper end of a post, each rib being hingedly coupled to the post such that the plurality of ribs is selectively positionable in an extended configuration wherein the plurality of ribs is substantially half-bowl shaped and a stowed configuration wherein each rib is in substantial abutment with the post; a panel coupled to and extending between the ribs of the plurality of ribs, the panel being flexible, the panel being substantially water impermeable; a ring positioned around the post, the ring being selectively slidable relative to the post; a plurality of rods, each rod being pivotally coupled to and extending between the ring and a respective rib such that the plurality of rods is positioned for supporting the plurality of ribs in the extended configuration; a stopper selectively couplable to a lower end of the post such that the stopper is positioned for retaining the plurality of ribs in the extended configuration and such that the stopper is removable for sliding the ring over the lower end of the post for positioning the plurality of ribs in the stowed configuration; a plurality of connectors, each connector being configured for coupling to an external element of a structure above a penetration in the structure such that the plurality of connectors extends arcuately across and above an upper limit of the penetration such that the plurality of connectors is positioned for selectively coupling to a pair of end ribs for coupling the plurality of ribs to the structure wherein the panel is configured for shielding an area under the panel from the elements, the plurality of connectors comprising from two to five connectors, the plurality of connectors comprising three connectors, each connector comprising a clip, the clip being adhesively couplable to the external element of the structure; and a circlet coupled to the upper end of the post such that the circlet is positioned for selectively coupling to an associated clip for coupling the plurality of ribs to the structure wherein the panel is configured for shielding the area under the panel from the elements, the circlet being rotationally coupled to the post. 